Travel: Japan - General

[dagong99]

sky minecrafter\" post_id=\"1913254\" time=\"1559611486\" user_id=\"130531:[quote=\"sky minecrafter\" post_id=1913254 time=1559611486 user_id=130531]
Hello! Do you mean free airport transfers provided by the hotel? You can register your interest with the hotel reception; it is usually a travel bus size (though seating capacity does depend on the branch). You can also email them even now, & they will gladly entertain you. Japan hotel receptions are fantastic, so are the travel bureaus around stations - they are knowledgeable, bi-/multi-lingual, go out of their way & can offer you all sorts of assistance. Whatever you need, just pop by one of them!

BTW, Nankai railway (I prefer reserved seats always) offers various easy connections between Namba station & KIX, the only thing is to factor in time required to purchase tickets, orientate to the correct platform amidst crowds, getting distracted by station bentos, lugging baggages possibly up-&-down stairs... It's a bit of a hassle but more amusing than coach rides.

https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2033.html

https://www.osakastation.com/the-nankai-airport-line-the-airport-express-rapit-services-for-kansai-airport-namba/[/quote]

Thanks a lot ! Didn't know there are free airport transfers, lol. Will check it out, thanks !

[dagong99]

.zeit\" post_id=\"1913277\" time=\"1559614952\" user_id=\"171271:

dagong99\" post_id=\"1913147\" time=\"1559544288\" user_id=\"48163:

Can anyone recommend a cheap & good hotel around Namba Station which has access to airport transfer shuttle ? TIA

Are you referring to the Airport Limousine by Kate Bus (the blue coach)?

If you only wish to stay in Namba, then you buy the OCAT-bound coach tickets at KIX. The final station is OCAT where Hotel Grasmere Monterery is. There's also APA hotel, Hotel 88 Shinsaibashi, Cross Hotel and Fraser Residence that are within walking distance from OCAT building. For Holiday Inn, I suppose you can wheel your luggage along the Dotonbori canal and follow the grid to/fro OCAT.

If you don't need to stay in Namba but willing to explore Shinsaibashi, then board those Shinsaibashi-bound Kate coaches to selected bus-stops e.g. Hotel Nikko, Hotel Sheraton and so on. You do not necessarily have to stay at those hotels with Kate designated bus stops. You can select another cheaper hotel within 5 - 10 min walking distance from one of them.

There are also a few hotels in Osaka Station area that are not far from Namba. Osaka station is where Hotel Granvia, Daimaru are.

Westin is at Umeda station.

I didn't take the Kate coach because I bought the JR Pass so I reserved my Haruka Express seats to KIX. The JR pass doesn't cover Nankai Rapi:t/Limited Express. Swissotel Nankai is a good option if you want to be near Taka.

Note the Kate bus schedule at each hotel. You may have to wait for several minutes or an hour or so before the next one comes along.

Yes, the blue coach, most likely staying in Namba for whole time there. Thanks a lot for the detailed info.

[.010675zeit]

dagong99\" post_id=\"1913296\" time=\"1559616586\" user_id=\"48163:

Yes, the blue coach, most likely staying in Namba for whole time there. Thanks a lot for the detailed info.

Grasmere will be good then I also like to stay above the JR station as I can wake up later.

Regarding another viable Kate route to Kintetsu / Shinsaibashi. You can opt to alight at Hotel Nikko and simply walk behind Nikko to reach MyStays Inn which sky minecrafter recommended above. This is just an e.g. of how we can play around with various bus-stop options to cut our lodging budget.

TBH, they are all very near to one another. Shinsaibashi is a super long sheltered shopping street that takes you from Namba to Nankai, or to Dotonbori to Osaka stn, to Umeda if you have the stamina to complete the long walk.


https://postimg.cc/LqTm5RcL

https://postimg.cc/62ptGgKS

[dagong99]

.zeit\" post_id=\"1913302\" time=\"1559617651\" user_id=\"171271:

dagong99\" post_id=\"1913296\" time=\"1559616586\" user_id=\"48163:

Yes, the blue coach, most likely staying in Namba for whole time there. Thanks a lot for the detailed info.

Grasmere will be good then I also like to stay above the JR station as I can wake up later.

Regarding another viable Kate route to Kintetsu / Shinsaibashi. You can opt to alight at Hotel Nikko and simply walk behind Nikko to reach MyStays Inn which sky minecrafter recommended above. This is just an e.g. of how we can play around with various bus-stop options to cut our lodging budget.

TBH, they are all very near to one another. Shinsaibashi is a super long sheltered shopping street that takes you from Namba to Nankai, or to Dotonbori to Osaka stn, to Umeda if you have the stamina to complete the long walk.


https://postimg.cc/LqTm5RcL

https://postimg.cc/62ptGgKS

Yes, we will be going to Shinsaibashi shopping street too

[CerlynR]

Don’t miss the famous Dotonbori street, a very vibrant area which is usually quite crowded and on weekends it can get crazy packed.

[Estéema]

CerlynR\" post_id=\"1913453\" time=\"1559700327\" user_id=\"165806:

Don't miss the famous Dotonbori street, a very vibrant area which is usually quite crowded and on weekends it can get crazy packed.

Dontobori is one of our go-to place for sashimi dinner. We've tried both restaurants where u can find the big signage of snow crab hanging in front of their restaurant. The moment I arrive, it’s best to book yourself a slot. Even at 6.30pm, we once almost missed our chance & only received a 9pm slot.

[dagong99]

Estéema\" post_id=\"1913501\" time=\"1559726595\" user_id=\"66413:

CerlynR\" post_id=\"1913453\" time=\"1559700327\" user_id=\"165806:

Don't miss the famous Dotonbori street, a very vibrant area which is usually quite crowded and on weekends it can get crazy packed.

Dontobori is one of our go-to place for sashimi dinner. We've tried both restaurants where u can find the big signage of snow crab hanging in front of their restaurant. The moment I arrive, it’s best to book yourself a slot. Even at 6.30pm, we once almost missed our chance & only received a 9pm slot.

do you call them for booking or can we book online in S'pore ? any other cheap & good restaurants just in case we can't get a slot ? thanks !

[Estéema]

dagong99\" post_id=\"1913539\" time=\"1559780810\" user_id=\"48163:

Estéema\" post_id=\"1913501\" time=\"1559726595\" user_id=\"66413:

[quote=CerlynR post_id=1913453 time=1559700327 user_id=165806]Don't miss the famous Dotonbori street, a very vibrant area which is usually quite crowded and on weekends it can get crazy packed.

Dontobori is one of our go-to place for sashimi dinner. We've tried both restaurants where u can find the big signage of snow crab hanging in front of their restaurant. The moment I arrive, it’s best to book yourself a slot. Even at 6.30pm, we once almost missed our chance & only received a 9pm slot.

do you call them for booking or can we book online in S'pore ? any other cheap & good restaurants just in case we can't get a slot ? thanks ![/quote]No online booking. Onsite booking only. Suggest once u get to Osaka, book first before u walk ard the shops.

[.010675zeit]

There is online booking, my esteemed Esteema.

https://rsv.ebica.jp/ebica2/webrsv/reserve_searches/search/e014006701/3148?cltid=e014006701&shop=3148&lang=en&_ga=2.213748436.1926977816.1559782388-805813318.1559782388


Actually Kanidoraku has many branches in other places in Osaka, e.g. Shinsaibashi and Umeda. There are more in Tokyo: Shinjuku, Ginza, Shibuya, etc. No need to die die queue up for the Main branch at Dotonbori.


For those who'd been to Hokkaido, they might have already eaten the same mega crab feast at Kani Honke at Susikino and some other districts in Sapporo and beyond. Same same kani kaiseki, kani shabu, kani suki...with snow/king/hairy crab gratin, bbq, sashimi, tempura, tomalley, marimo, sushi, crab rice porridge, hot pot, etc.

[.010675zeit]

There are so many things to eat in Osaka and if you’re heading to other prefectures or cities, please curate prudently, otherwise you might not have the stomach to eat some famed delights in the same food category in other regions.


In Osaka, you must eat Takoyaki, Okomomiyaki, Pablo, Uncle Rikuro. Osaka okonomiyaki is different from Hiroshima okonomiyaki, so we tried both types. As a beefeater, my priority was to ‘attack’ Kobe/Matsusaka/Saga beef first, be it yakiniku or western-style. Kansai udon is different from Kanto udon, so I also ate tempura + udon at an izakaya. Save your stomach space for more street food at Kuromon. I ate a big sushi meal inside the market too, after snacking on and sampling more than 20 types of food.

If you are not heading anywhere else after Osaka, can also queue up for Ichiran by Ebisu Bridge, near the Glico billboard. I gave up Ichiran in Dotonbori, but managed to find time to queue for Ichiran in Tokyo.

I saw lots of tourists queuing to enter seafood restaurants selling Fugu sashimi (puffer fish), but I didn’t want to take the risk. Different people react to such delicacies differently.

There are several al fresco yakitori joints in Namba area too. Good for supper. I also consumed my personalised Nissin Cup Noodles back in my hotel room at night. Imagine the weight gain!